Chrysanthemum plant -- Funbeam cultivar

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant named Funbeam is provided. The new cultivar was the result of a mutation induced by controlled irradiation with x-rays and can be readily distinguished from the parent Funshine cultivar (U.S. Ser. No. 719,461, filed concurrently herewith). More specifically, the new cultivar forms attractive relatively small bicolored flowers wherein the petals are light red-purple instead of white as the Funshine cultivar and the disc florets particularly towards the center bear a more intense and more purple coloration on the distal ends (as illustrated) than the Funshine cultivar. The inflorescence tends to be pyramidal in configuration. The response period of the flowers is approximately seven and one-half weeks. The new cultivar is particularly suited for use in the production of a cut anemone spray under greenhouse conditions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present inventiton comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum, botanically known as Chrysanthemum morifolium, Ramat., and hereinafter is referred to by the cultivar name Funbeam.

The new cultivar is a mutation which was induced in a plant of the Funshine cultivar (U.S. Ser. No. 719,461, filed concurrently herewith) by irradiation with x-rays at a level of 1750 rads. The discovery of the new cultivar was made at DeLier, The Netherlands, during June, 1987. The discovery resulted in the identification of a single plant of the new cultivar.

It was found that the new cultivar of the present invention:

(a) exhibits attractive relatively small anemone flowers having an overall diameter of approximately 40 mm. wherein the petals are light red-purple instead of white as the Funshine cultivar and the disc florets particularly towards the center bear a more intense and more purple coloration on the distal ends than the Funshine cultivar,

(b) bears flowers in a somewhat pyramidal configuration,

(c) exhibits a flower response period of approximately seven and one-half weeks,

(d) forms attractive dark green foliage, and

(e) has the ability to produce flowers of commercially acceptable quality throughout the year in a cut mum production program.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by cuttings performed at De Lier, The Netherlands, in a controlled environment has demonstrated that the characteristics of the new cultivar as herein disclosed are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual propagation.

Funbeam has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light, day length, contact with pesticides and/or subjection to growth retardant treatments.

When the new cultivar of the present invention is compared to the Improved Funshine cultivar (U.S. Ser. No. 719,464, filed concurrently herewith), the Improved Funshine cultivar is found to exhibit white petals and more red and less purple coloration at the distal ends of the disc florets. When the new cultivar of the present invention is compared to the Funrise cultivar (U.S. Ser. No. 719,465, filed concurrently herewith), it is noted that the Funbeam cultivar exhibits red-purple petals which tend to be slightly lighter than those of the Funrise cultivar and tends to exhibit a slightly more intense light-red coloration on the distal ends of the disc florets than the Funshine cultivar. When the new cultivar of the present invention is compared to the Funset cultivar (U.S. Ser. No. 719,462, filed concurrently herewith), it is noted that the Funset cultivar exhibits very light-red peals and orange-red coloration on the distal ends of the disc florets. When the new cultivar of the present invention is compared to the Funglow cultivar (U.S. Ser. No. 720,211, filed concurrently herewith), it is noted that the Funglow cultivar exhibits yellow petals and greyed-purple coloration on the distal ends of the disc florets.

Plants of the Funbeam cultivar can be readily distinguished from those of the parent Funshine cultivar by the following combination of characteristics which was obtained during recent observations:

    ______________________________________                                                 Parent                                                                         FUNSHINE     FUNBEAM                                                           Cultivar     Cultivar                                                  ______________________________________                                         Color of ray                                                                             White Group 155D                                                                              Red-Purple                                            florets                  Group 62D                                             Color of disc                                                                            Red Group 51B  Grey-Purple                                           florets                  Group 185A                                            Flower    Approximately 45 mm.                                                                          Approximately 40 mm.                                  diameter                                                                       Flower disc                                                                              Approximately 30 mm.                                                                          Approximately 25 mm.                                  diameter                                                                       Foliage length                                                                           Approximately 80 mm.                                                                          Approximately 75 mm.                                  Foliage width                                                                            Approximately 60 mm.                                                                          Approximately 50 mm.                                  ______________________________________                                    

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph shows as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in a color illustration of this character, a typical specimen of an overall plant of the new cultivar. The plant was grown in a greenhouse at De Lier, The Netherlands.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of colors described hereafter in The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England. The color values were determined at 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon under natural daylight conditions at De Lier, The Netherlands, during December, 1990. The plants described were grown under standard greenhouse conditions which approximate those commonly utilized for the production of cut mums.

Classification:

Botanical.--Chrysanthemum morofolium Ramat., cv. Funbeam.

Commercial.--Cut anemone spray.

Inflorescence

A. Capitulum:

Form.--Pyramidal.

Type.--Anemone.

Diameter across face.--Approximately 40 mm. on average.

Diameter of flower center.--Approximately 25 mm. on average.

B. Corolla of ray and disc florets:

Color (General tonality from a distance of three meters).--Light red-purple with darker center.

Color ray florets (top surface).--Light red-purple, Red-Purple Group 62D.

Color disc florets.--Greyed-purple, Greyed-Purple Group 185A.

C. Reproductive organs:

Androecium.--Not present.

Gynoecium.--Present in both ray and disc florets.

Plant

A. General appearance:

Height.--Approximately 90 cm. on average.

B. Foliage:

Color (upper surface).--Yellow-green group 147A.

Color (under surface).--Yellow-green group 147B.

Size.--Approximately 75 mm in length and approximately 50 mm. in width. 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant named Funbeam, substantially as herein shown and described, which:(a) exhibits attractive relatively small anemone flowers having an overall diameter of approximately 40 mm. wherein the petals are light red-purple instead of white as the Funshine cultivar and the disc florets particularly towards the center bear a more intense and more purple coloration on the distal ends than the Funshine cultivar, (b) bears flowers in a somewhat pyramidal configuration, (c) exhibits a flower response period of approximately seven and one-half weeks, (d) forms attractive dark green foliage, and (e) has the ability to produce flowers of commercially acceptable quality throughout the year in a cut mum production program. 